With 40 hp and 40 lb-ft torque more than the XKR thanks to a revised exhaust, a tad more boost and remapped ECU, this topless cat shouldn't be taken lightly. Mash the throttle and the meaty 20-inch rubber out back breaks loose, especially when it's cool out. There was plenty of tail wagging before the Pirelli tires got some heat into them. Punch the button with the checkered flag on it, and the stability controls provides more slip angle before saving your behind from certain doom.

I was a little surprised by the steering with its snappy response, and there was a weightier feeling than I remember from my time with the coupe a few months back. The active suspension deserves applause for its ability to provide the ride quality it does on the low-profile rubber and then stiffening up when the mood strikes you for tremendous grip through bends. Even with the fixed roof, this ragtop's chassis feels rock solid.

A six-speed ZF automatic transmission is another high point. I know someone will say they wish this had a manual (and I would agree with that one) or a dual-clutch unit. Knowing that this XKR-S is more of a grand touring car, I don't mind the auto here. It's a great box with quick shifts and rev-matching for downshifts.

The bottom line: This Jag is a winner in my book. Its limited production and standout looks are backed up with a killer right pedal.

DIGITAL EDITOR ANDREW STOY: It's safe to say I'd be a fan of this gorgeous Jag even if I never got behind the wheel. With its fat haunches, blacked-out wheels and classic GT car stance, the XKR-S has presence in spades, earning thumbs-ups from the drivers of rusted Geos and new Porsche Panameras alike.

Two things: Wind in the hair--or sunburn, in my case--be damned, the XKR-S coupe is a better car than this ragtop. It felt quicker and more responsive, and I also prefer the lines of the XK coupe to the ragtop.

Second, Jaguar has to dispose of this touch-screen interface posthaste. Why should I have to touch a crappy LCD when Jag buttons are so much more satisfying? That goes for the shift paddles, too--the transmission loves to play in manual mode, but the chintzy plastic paddles are straight out of a Suzuki. I implore the designers to visit an Infiniti dealership, climb into an FX50 and steal their paddle design--that's how it's done.

None of it really matters, of course. Put the top down, get lined up at low speed and roll onto the throttle: All is forgiven as the thrust instantly overwhelms you and you're treated to one of the finest sounds in automotive history. Sir William would approve.

EDITOR WES RAYNAL: This 2012 Jaguar XKR-S convertible is gorgeous to look at inside and out--I especially like the front end--and plenty powerful and fast enough. I liked this car generally. My usual Jag interior complaints (too fiddly a center screen, a mishmash of build quality, etc.) apply here, but this a fine answer to the Porsche 911 convertible cliché.

It's fast and the engine is smooth. It sounds like a small block with the right kind of exhaust, and I don't know how the transmission could be any smoother. I felt very little cowl shake and the body control felt spot-on. I thought this would be another sports car that just beat on me suspension-wise but it didn't--the ride was fine.

Yes, it was a bummer that most of my time in the car it was either raining or the roads were wet, on which the car struggled to override the traction-control system. That, and I couldn't really put the top down. Of course, all that just means is I need more time in it.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR BOB GRITZINGER: This car is spectacular, from tip to tail, inside and out, wrapper to rubber. This is what a high-performance Jaguar ought to be. It's a blacked-out beauty on the outside, bespoke and cozy on the inside. The rumbling, rip-snorting V8 is uproariously fun, but with a Brit sensibility and refinement that makes it smooth as silk. Running this car through the gears, up or down, via the paddle shifters is an aural delight that borders on naughty. Nice.

This is one of those cars that you want to drive and drive and drive. An owner would surely find him or herself torn each day, debating whether to keep driving or go to work to pay for this special piece of hardware.